The invention relates generally to hydro-reactive projectiles that incorporate a metal housing containing chemically stable liquid or other deformable medium for enhanced destructive effect. In particular, the invention includes an aluminum round having cavities filled with water.
Conventional inert projectiles represent a desired goal in the armed forces due to safety considerations, especially during storage and firing. However, such designs typically yield relatively low levels of destructivity unless accelerated to hypersonic velocities to impart significant kinetic energy to a target. Preferred conventional projectiles against hard targets are composed of high density materials, such as steel, tungsten, tungsten-carbide and depleted uranium. Such projectiles defeat targets by penetration, and in some cases by fragmentation. A conventional inert projectile striking a large shock-absorbing media, e.g., sand (that would protect the target) would have little effect besides displacement of some granular material.